The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1887-06-29
Along The kennebec.

lagos with their white buildings and
church spires piercing the dense foliage,
with back ground of green hills and the
winding river in the distance, the eye is
ravished with the scene.
Another view that is perhaps unsur-
passed is that obtained in going from
Skowhegan to Madison as you come out
upon the ridge overlooking the village.
Madison Bridge village is one mile dis
tant, while to the North, the spires of
North Arson CLEAN out among tho ell
circling hills. These are but few of the
many beautiful spots that make the val
ley of the upper Kennebec SO attractive
to those who love to look upon the
beauties of nature.
The village Of Bingham is the one
farthest up the river that has any con-
siderable number of places of bust
ness. Here are dozen stores, more or
less, the most of which keep large
stocks of goods in their lines. With
a few exceptions they are run on the var
riety store plan. Bingham is well sup
piled with lumber and other mills for
local purposes and has, besides, the works
of the "Ryerdrivers' Calk Company"
where rivermen's calks in great variety
and large quantities are manufactured by
machinery driven by water power. This
company is the largest of the kind in the
country and its founders were the first to
make calks by the use of machinery.
The product is marketed in all parts of
the country where logs are iloated down
rivers, largely in the West. Calvin Colby
Esq. of Bingham is President of the cor
poration and Sewall Dinsmore of Show
hogan is the Selling Agent, Business is
reported to be good among the trad
ers this season, and the people generally
have confidence in the future of the town
and look forward with interest to the
time when the 'iron" will reach them
and connect them with other parts of the
country.
Scion is the one village Of Somerset
that is now looking into the future with
the most earnestness. She is intensely
Interested in two events the building of
the B. so Airline road, and the I'M
provement of her great water power,
Carratunk Falls. Here is one of the best
sites for large village that can be found
in New England; and with the full use of
the water power this is likely to become
rival to villages lower down the Kenne
bee.
The working of the regulation in regard
to bringing teams from Canada, under
the recent ruling Of the Treasury depart
ment at Washington, is looked forward
to with some solcitude by farmers who
have depended largely upon help from
Canada to secure the annual hay crop.
We think Canadians will reach the hay
fields of Maine in some way, if they can
not do it with their own teams without
paying duties but it appears to us to have
been an unnecessary proceeding. The
law seemed to work well before, so far
as haying crews were concerned at least
and the wages of haymakers did not suf-
fer from the influx of Canadians. This
year the teams upon which duties are
paid will be loaded more heavily with
men than formerly and some of the hay
ers will make the 80 miles between the
line and Skowhegan on foot or hired con-
veyance. The horses brought through
will be likely to find market on this side
and not be returned.
North Arson is one of the prettiest vii
lagos, in itself and its surroundings, in
Somerset County. 1t did not seem to get
all the advantages that were anticipated
from being the terminus of the Somerset
Railroad, but still it is lively town and
has, like other Somerset towns, an unoc-
cupied water power that gives hope of
future growth. The principal industry
of the place is the Shank factory, the
only factory in the country, we are in
formed, where wooden "shanks" for
shoes are made. The proprictors are
Messrs. Potter & Watson, with Reuben
Fairbrother as Superintendent. News
paper men are treated gentlemanly here
If they agree not to write up the business,
otherwise they are promptly 'tlred out"
Mr.. Il. f. Collins of No. Arson is work
Ing his "IIoof pad" business quietly and
successfully. He has customers all over
the country and they are rapidly increas-
Ing. Among the many eminent horse
owners who certify to the utility of this
Ledger fame. While there may not be
millions in it." there are many thousands
and we are pleased to know that the in
yentive genius of Mr. Collins is so sure
of ample reward. Mr.. Collins not only
invented the article he manufactures but
also the machinery by which the work is
done rapidly and cheaply.
Messrs. Brown and Hilton have a good
piece of property in the Somerset House
and stables, Judging from the lively APP
pearancc of things around there about
dinner time. Hotel keeping is but one of
their lines of business. Farming and
stock raising are among their pursuits.
To this, Mr.. Hilton has added of late the
importing and rearing of ponies. Mr..
Hilton is trustee of the State Agricultu-
raj society, and one of the most pro-
gressive agriculturists in Somerset.
Mr.. Brown looks closely after the hotel
and the welfare of his numerous guests.
Madison Bridge is undoubtedly the vii
lage that has the best prospect of immedi
ate grow tn before it. 1t has hardly, in
the matter Of residences and tenement
houses, kept pace with the demand caused
by the erection of its wooden mills, and
now another mill is to be built which
gives renewed activity to house-building.
A new spacious hotel erected during the
past year has just been opened, and stores